Report: Consumers are Less Confident in June

June 26, 2012 by RVBusinessComments Off on Report: Consumers are Less Confident in June

Americans can’t seem to shake their uneasy feeling about the economy.

The Associated Press reported that consumer confidence fell in June for the fourth straight month as worries about the economy outweighed relief at the gas pump, according to a private research group.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index is at 62. That’s down from the 64.4 reading in May and the 63.2 analysts were expecting. The index remains well below the 90 reading that indicates a healthy economy — a level it hasn’t been near since the recession began in December 2007. But it’s far from the all-time low of 25.3 reached in February 2009.

The indicator is widely watched because consumer spending, including major items like health care, accounts for 70% of U.S. economic activity. The index illustrates that Americans are worried about hiring, home values, the stock market and a worsening European economy that some fear will hurt the U.S.

“Consumers were somewhat more positive about current conditions, but slightly more pessimistic about the short-term outlook,” said Lynn Franco, director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board in a statement. “If this trend continues, spending may be restrained in the short-term.”

Worries about job and income growth seemed to weigh the heaviest on consumers in the index survey, which is based on a poll conducted from June 1 through June 14 with about 500 randomly selected people nationwide.

Still, Americans have some reasons to be optimistic. A widely watched home price index, released Tuesday, offered some hope for the housing market. Home prices rose in nearly all major U.S. cities in April, according to The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index. That’s the second straight month that prices have increased in a majority of U.S. cities.

Shoppers also are getting some relief at the gas pump. Gas prices have falling from their peak in early April. Gasoline prices fell 4 cents over the weekend to a national average of $3.41 per gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and the Oil Price Information Service. And experts say gas could fall another 11 cents by July 4, next week